Questions this practice may help answer

What data is available to support planning in Welsh seas?

How can interested parties comment on the evidence base and the need or availability of further spatial evidence?

Implementation Context

The purpose of marine planning under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (MCAA) is to help achieve sustainable development of the marine area. Sustainable development is the central organising principle of the Welsh Government and is enshrined in the Government of Wales Act 2006. UK Administrations published the UK Marine Policy Statement (MPS) in March 2011 as part of a new system of marine planning being introduced across UK seas. The MPS will ensure an appropriate and consistent approach to marine planning across UK waters with the purpose of achieving the sustainable development of our seas by guiding marine licensing and other decisions. In Wales, marine planning is being taken forward by the Welsh Government.

The marine planning portal for Wales has been developed to enable anyone to view maps online showing the distribution of human activities and natural resources in Welsh seas. The portal is an interactive planning tool that is intended to support the marine planning process by:

Raising awareness and understanding of the marine data that is readily available for Welsh seas

Providing an understanding of the marine planning evidence base currently available

Providing interested parties with the opportunity to comment on the evidence base and the need or availability of further spatial evidence

New layers will be added and existing data layers refreshed as the evidence base develops.

Aspects / Objectives

Provide an online tool to enable interested parties to access data and information.

Method

Development of an online portal, building on the information gathered through earlier scoping exercises and refined through consultation and stakeholder engagement.

Contact Person

Responsible Entity

Welsh Government

Costs / Funding Source

Welsh Government

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The European MSP Platform is financed by the European Commission under the EMFF Workprogrammes 2014 and 2015. The European MSP Platform is a result of the action MSP Assistance Mechanism implemented by EASME on behalf of DG MARE.